A message from The Common Good

There are many remarkable outcomes thanks to support provided by the Foundation in this past year, some of which continue to accumulate over time. Currently, there are 115 active grants supported by the Foundation. Last year, there were 32 research grants completed and 48 new grants awarded – including nine innovation grants, 13 new investigator grants, two PhD scholarships, two research fellowships, two innovation and capacity building grants and 10 equipment grants.  

Direct funding support was provided for the appointment of the inaugural Director of Research role at The Prince Charles Hospital. In addition, the 1,000^th robotic-arm-assisted joint replacement surgery was performed by orthopaedic surgeons with a state-of-the-art robotic arm, fully funded by the Foundation in 2019. We are proud to say that The Prince Charles Hospital is the only Queensland public hospital with this specialised equipment.

The first patients were admitted to the two revolutionary ICU of the Future bed spaces in January. This project, driven by The Critical Care Research Group (CCRG) and supported by hundreds of our donors, was the culmination of more than five years of hard work and has the potential to change the design of intensive care units around the world. Ongoing evaluation of this space is now underway to determine the impact of the newly designed environment on patient outcomes during and after ICU admission, including physical, cognitive, and mental health recovery, incidences of delirium and quality of sleep.

Some incredibly beneficial patient projects, funded by donors of The Common Good were also completed.  Memory Lane saw the upgrade of a hospital hallway using images from yesteryear, transforming the corridor into a sought-after walking destination for patients to help them get out of bed and move, and stay cognitively engaged during their recovery.

The year also saw the completion of Charlies Village in the Cognitive Assessment and Management (CAM) Unit, where patients with dementia and other cognitive impairments are cared for. This redesigned space has seen the unit’s outdoor area transformed into a village-like community area which includes custom-built familiar facades such as a hair salon, bakery and café, general store, hotel and post office. This transformation was thoughtfully designed in collaboration with the hospital’s frontline clinicians and geriatricians to create environments for patients in the ward to visit, helping them feel confident and connected and allowing them to maintain some independence and mobility. This project received a ‘Highly Commended’ accolade in the 2023 Metro North Staff Excellence Award’s Innovation Category – a testament to the collaboration between clinicians, researchers and the Foundation to achieve best patient outcomes.

In October, we held our third annual Giving Day for The Prince Charles Hospital, raising more than $150,000 to fund some of the immediate needs of the hospital’s Children’s Emergency Department and Children’s Ward.

Caboolture Hospital and its patients are benefiting from a range of upgrades and new items thanks to the Foundation. Recently, we facilitated a $350,000 upgrade of the Children’s Ward, including a kid’s retreat space, with the support of the Caboolture Hospital Auxiliary and other philanthropic partners. We also supported the installation of ‘healing ceiling’ panels within the Children’s Ward, purchased an omni-bed to help with the care of premature and ill infants, and funded a restock of the ‘patient boutique’ for patients who visit the hospital without their own clothing.

We are so grateful to all our wonderful supporters whose efforts have incredible impacts for patients. That not only includes those who offer monetary support, but much of what we achieve is also thanks to the kind-hearted volunteers who donate their time at events and hospital volunteering. During the Foundation’s iconic Ekka Strawberry Sundae program, there were over 2,000 volunteers who donated close to 8,000 volunteering hours, allowing us to scoop up and serve a record number of more than 150,000 of the popular strawberry sundaes to showgoers. This is just one example of how the Foundation is proud to rally the support of the greater community to help continue the advancement of important research and patient care initiatives at both The Prince Charles Hospital and Caboolture Hospital.

It is through the support of our generous community including individual and corporate supporters, as well Metro North Health staff members that we can help facilitate the work of our many talented researchers.

To find out more, visit thecommongood.org.au.